Historic lake cHarles

329 Pryce street – the sunset Hotel circa 1876

The Sunset served travelers on and workers for the Kansas City Southern and Southern Pacific Railroads whose depots were only a few blocks away. The Sunset offered clean rooms. The building features a rare cast iron façade, locally fabricated.

403 Hodges (at Pryce street) – the claiborne Perkins House circa 1884

A blend of Queen Anne with Colonial Revival styling, this house has intricate shingling, Ionic columns and a rising sun motif on above the entry. Early settlers in Calcasieu Parish, the Perkins family were involved in the lumber business.

Travel Directions: South on Pryce Street to Pine then right.

401 Pine – the dr. a. j. Perkins, jr. House circa 1893

Dr Perkins was the son of the first native-born sawmill owner and had access to the best lumber. This Queen Anne gem is a charmer with the distinctive “O” shaped gallery on the second level and wonderful lapped shingling.

110 Pine – kelly weber warehouse circa 1895

Located on a block that was once crisscrossed by rail lines, this is one of the last remaining railroad-era warehouses in the city. Long a part of the Kelly Weber business empire of wholesale, retail, agricultural and lumber interests, the building is now a restaurant, pub, and event center.

tHe gerMantown neigHborHooD tour

In the 1840s and ‘50s, one of the largest groups to settle in Lake Charles came from the north German coast, lead here by the Goos family, who settled in upper Lake Charles, later known as Goosport. The Germans were experienced lumbermen and shipbuilders and left a tradition of excellent wood craft, some of which can be seen in houses and structures in this neighborhood.

Travel Directions: Begin at Broad Street headed north on Moss Street.

722 Moss – the e. H. green House circa 1905

Three fluted columns are uniquely set on the porches of this unusual Greek Revival house, with smaller columns supporting the second floor gallery.

Tour directions: jog left onto Division Street then jog right on Moss.

Moss at Mill – southwest corner – 530 Mill – the leland H. Moss House circa 1883

An early example of a Greek Revival house with irregular massing, three massive Ionic columns supporting the porch roof and Italianate brackets support a Juliette balcony above the front door.

504 Moss – the ernest bel House circa 1890

Built by J. A. Bel for his son as a wedding present, this substantial house has 17 rooms and a five room carriage house. There is a hidden widow’s walk above the attics.

Did you know?

Division Street from here to the Lake marked the dividing line between the Bilbo family farm and the Ryan family farm. Together those farms were divided into streets and lots to form early Lake Charles.

617 Moss – the babette Platz House circa 1890

Four Eastlake-style porches grace the façade of this center hall Victorian house. At one time three additional service porches were on the back, giving this house more porch space than interior space.

This grand raised house was built for Catherine Goos and Willie Flanders and is an outstanding example of intricate workmanship. A masterful mix of Flemish, Gothic and American Shingle style, the exterior is of cypress clapboard with unique bowed windows. The wide curved porches have double columns supporting the pent roof.

Moss at Mill– northwest corner– 605 Mill the flanders House, circa 1900

Did you know?

For over a hundred years, sailing schooners from Lake Charles traded with Galveston and other gulf port cities, with cargoes of lumber, cattle, citrus, rice, and other commodities. As late as 1900, after the Great Storm that destroyed much of Galveston, Lake Charles lumber was used to rebuild that Texas coastal city.

503 Moss – the alfred reid House circa 1891

The witch’s hat turret is the eye-catching feature of this raised Victorian cottage with half timbering and shingling. A mirror-flipped twin of this house is located at Moss and Division Street minus the witch’s hat.

314 Moss – the captain simon jacobson House circa 1885

This raised Victorian cottage follows the traditional shape of the seafarers cottage, common on Galveston island but rare in Lake Charles.

Travel Directions: Right on Belden Street to Ford, then south on Ford Street

504 ford – the david john reid House circa 1879

Built of pine and cypress, this impressive two-and-a-half story sawmill Victorian has exceptional dentil work at the roof eaves and dormers. The original elaborate porches were destroyed in the 1918 hurricane, however they have been replaced by simpler wraparound porches.

518 ford – the charles fitzenreiter House circa 1901

A Victorian raised cottage with turned columns supporting a front gallery, this is a good example of the millwork, shingles, and lumber produced in the area.

519 ford – old st. john’s lutheran church circa 1888

This frame chapel-style building is the oldest standing church in Lake Charles and first served the German community. The open belfry was closed in when the bell was relocated to the new church.

618 ford – the walter goos cottage circa 1892

A strongly geometrical roofline with large eaves gives this Victorian cottage a tailored masculine feel.

624 ford – the walter goos House circa 1903

When finances improved, Walter Goos built this impressive three story home with a grand portico supported by massive Lake Charles columns. This Colonial Revival gem is entirely built of cypress, and together with the first Walter Goos house serves as a bed and breakfast inn.

712 division – the neil bryan House circa 1920

This is a good example of the so-called “airplane bungalow” which appears in various forms throughout the District in both wood and in brick (see 714 Division). In airplane bungalows, the projecting dormer is the “cockpit” above the wide “wing,” the porch roof.

division street at kirkman – 715 kirkman street – episcopal church of the good shepherd circa 1897

This English Gothic gray sandstone church features elegant stained glass windows and an exceptional hammer-beam ceiling in the sanctuary. While the sanctuary dates to the 1897 date, additions including the church hall and portico were designed to match the authentic Gothic look. (NR)

tHe Central PlaCe neigHborHooD tour

Lake Charles had electric streetcars as early as 1894 and one of the lines ran from downtown via Kirby and Kirkman Streets to serve the residents of upper Lake Charles and of Central Place, a prestigious neighborhood that developed on South Division Street. Elegant large homes in distinctive styles can be found in this charming part of the city.

Travel Directions: Begin at the intersection of Kirkman and South Division going east.